Regenerating our urban spaces is a top priority for our councils. KERRY ANN EUSTICE asks the town centre manager for Catford what's involved ...Qualifications: BA Hons in geography, followed by an MSc in city space and society and then a post graduate diploma in local government management. The MSc covered urban planning and has been very beneficial to my current work. My diploma gave me a good grounding in the policy and structure of local government and how it operates.

Place of work: Lewisham Council as Catford's town centre manager.

Earning potential: On a regional level someone responsible for large-scale regeneration, in a very senior position, could be looking to earn £60,000 to £80,000 per annum.

What hours do you work? It does depend on what's happening and if there are any events, such as a clean-up day. Hours are longer in the run up to Christmas as business is busy for the town centre. I usually work from 8.30am until 6.30pm, Monday to Friday.

What is your typical day like? I'm currently organising Christmas events taking place in the town centre.

I also administer shop improvement grants and visit businesses explaining the funding and how to apply. I provide the town with business support by identifying training needs, helping them with e-commerce and marketing.

I work in partnership with wardens and the police to enhance security and crime reduction initiatives. I also work with environmental services to ensure things such as the streets are kept clean.

I have launched a Towntalk website for Catford and update it regularly. It includes a network of other town centres.

Why did you decide to become a town centre manager? It picks up from my academic background and my personal interest in regeneration. I enjoy the fact you can physically see the improvements within the community. It's also a challenging role which is constantly changing and there is always something different to start or try.

Where do you want to go from here? It's going to take a while to get to establish relationships, as I only started three months ago. I need to stay in this role for two to three years at least in order to see positive changes. I'd like to continue working in regeneration, possibly at a regional level across London.